


Part of the Family

by ChangeTheCircumstances



Series: The Sins of an Empire [19]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope, Star Wars Original Trilogy
Genre: Gen, Sith AU, Sith Luke, dark au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-30
Updated: 2016-05-30
Packaged: 2018-07-11 04:36:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,021
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7028881
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ChangeTheCircumstances/pseuds/ChangeTheCircumstances
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After becoming established on Bespin, Lando is greeted by a familiar face.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Part of the Family

**Author's Note:**

> Second to last fic for this series. Thanks again for those who are reading :)

To put simply, the Empress Padmé Amidala and Emperor Bail Organa were terrifying and it was so obvious that they could see Lando’s fear of them. But they also saw the potential and didn’t pick him apart like they so easily could have. And have lines and lines of questioning, after having his entire life story placed on the table, Lando found himself learning the finer points of what it meant to be a leader, at least a legal one anyways.

Luke had been right, cheats and liars made the best politicians but there were still certain games and rules that had to be followed.

Thankfully, Lando was a quick learner and a smart gambler (meaning he never actually gambled he simply knew how to cheat the system without getting caught). Because of this, Lando got to live another day and got a planet for his trouble. Bespin was a mess, there was no doubt about that, but Lando simply saw it as a puzzle for him to work with it. The people’s hearts and spirits had been broken leaving a rather pliable mass that Lando could mold into a shape that befitted the Empire.

He became a part of the regular senate meetings and really got to see how the Empire worked. He wasn’t a part of the elite but he was certainly better than most of the pawns that the Emperor and Empress moved around at will. It helped that was ‘friends’ with the Empress’ children.

And he definitely used the term ‘friend’ lightly. Leia hung around when she could but it wasn’t out of mild interest or a want to be near him. Instead, she was always taking notes. Sometimes he felt like she was hoping he would mess up so she could watch his fall. Other times he figured it was because she was simply preparing for her eventual appointment as Empress and wanted to see all the different viewpoints of leadership. Either way, he was a tool for her to use and occasionally poke fun at. That was all.

Luke was a different matter though. The kid genuinely seemed to enjoy helping Lando. Besides the fact that he’d been the one to talk to his mother, he also spent plenty of time giving Lando rather helpful hints on how to stay alive. The kid also liked a good story and seemed to enjoy when Lando was the one telling it. Lando suspected it was because Han was always exaggerating things, which could make for a fun tale, but Luke wanted to know what the galaxy was really like. He was so curious and Lando’s voice seemed to curb that curiosity.

The kid was a curiosity to Lando as well. Whereas Leia was usually charming to get something, Luke was just naturally innocent and sweet looking. Still, Lando had seen him kill and he was extremely effective with it and wasn’t to be underestimated. Luke had once told him about when he was younger and killing didn’t come so easily but it was clear he’d gotten over that. Now his lightsaber blade moved effortlessly whenever he found himself needing to cut down a victim.

Such spectacles didn’t come often but when they did, Lando usually tried to avoid them as best he could.

Of course, it didn’t help when Luke practically put such opportunities in front of him with no chance of getting out.

The twins in general hadn’t left Coruscant very often, at least to Lando’s knowledge, so it was fairly shocking when Luke showed up out of nowhere on Bespin. Lando had to blink several times just to make sure the kid was actually there.

“What? No hug for an old friend?” asked Luke with his usual innocent expression.

Lando let out a slight snort. “I wouldn’t use that word to describe this but hey, you’re the Sith. It sure as hell is your choice.”

Luke chuckled in response. “True, yet you still remain sarcastic and risky when choosing your words.”

“Of course. Gotta get out the frustration somehow and I know I can do it with you,” replied Lando. He finally moved out of the way, letting the kid in. “So, what exactly are doing on Bespin at my private quarters?”

“Officially? I’m acting as the eyes and ears of my mother and uncle. They want to make sure you’ve been doing your job,” Luke responded, momentarily turning serious. But his face broke into a wide, inviting grin as he added, “But honestly I’ve just missed not having you around the palace. You haven’t visited in months and the few times you have, it’s always been for business.”

“Well it’s either visit more often or slack on the job and get my head chopped off. I don’t know which one you would like kid but I can tell you, I like my head to remain attached to my neck.”

Chuckling again, Luke sat down in an offered chair, the first room of Lando’s private quarters being a living room like place.

“So, how long are you staying?” asked Lando.

“Six days,” Luke replied. “I can’t just see you and then give you a check.”

“Hey, I thought we were friends,” joked Lando.

“We are, but I’m still going to do the job I was trusted with.”

“Well, it’s going to be fairly boring. I’m doing all that’s needed and required to make Bespin a loyal part of the Empire.”

“I don’t doubt it. Which is why I’m here and not Leia,” Luke said. “She’d be bored out of her mind and would probably do more havoc than help. I’m more interesting in having some fun while I’m here too.”

“You sure you’re not just trying to distract me so that I can get on the chopping block?”

“I’m sad that you think that lowly of me,” laughed Luke. “Don’t worry, I won’t pull you away from work or make you mess up. I simply hope to make your downtime a little more interesting.”

Lando raised an eyebrow at that. He was curious what the hell that meant but didn’t push farther. Instead, he asked, “Where you staying?”

“Hopefully here.”

If Lando had been drinking, he would have spit it out. “May I ask why?”

“Partially because it will help me do my job better being able to watch you twenty-four/seven. Also I just want to be able to watch you twenty-four/seven.”

“You realize how creepy that sounds, right?”

Luke smiled and replied, “That’s what I like about you Lando. That’s why I find you so interesting. You’re so blunt with your ideas and thoughts. You don’t skirt around things with grand words and mocking comments like Han.”

“Hey, if I don’t say it like it is, who will?”

“Point taken,” replied Luke.

And that was how Lando found Luke staying with him for six days. Mostly, the kid did just watch when he was doing business of any kind and didn’t bother him often. It made Lando pretty grateful Luke had decided to come instead of Leia. He was pretty sure the sister would have tried to make his job harder, perhaps even orchestrated a few mishaps to mess him up simply to see what would happen.

But Luke was simply a silent watcher until business was done for the day and only then did he talk with Lando. Usually casually, simple back and forth, but as a day came to an end, he almost always asked for another story, seeming to simply enjoy Lando’s voice.

Lando still didn’t want to call it a friendship. Any relationship with a Sith or top members in the Empire was a risky idea. Still, Lando would have been lying if he wasn’t thankful to the kid for helping him to get where he was. He still knew it could come to bite him in the back but seeing as nothing had happened yet, Lando still found himself enjoying Luke’s presence. Sith or not, the kid was still surprisingly kind, at least to those he thought deserved his kindness. He was smart but incredibly quiet most of the time except in private company, and it was clear adventure was bubbling beneath his surface.

Then adding his parentage, position in the Empire, and the fact that he was a Sith onto that simply made him more fascinating to be around, even if it sometimes felt like a health hazard.

The third day was when things got a bit more interesting though as Lando was again reminded of the kid’s power.

Luke was viewing an interrogation that Lando was overseeing as well. For lower criminals, Lando didn’t get involved but this man had ties with the black market and former rebel leaders. He hadn’t broken yet, hence why Lando’s presence seemed to be needed. Lando did have a way of swindling people into things that weren’t for their own good.

As Lando started the one sided conversation, Luke watched the process with a critical eye, seeming to analyze all the miniscule reactions from both parties.

Eventually, Lando started to get somewhere and his words probably would have convinced the guy to talk but Luke quickened the occurrence as he used the Force to scare the man into talking. It also helped that Luke succeeded in taking an arm.

After the guy spilled his words and blood, Lando was busy writing up the report as Luke curiously looked over his shoulder.

“You should have let me finish. Less paperwork would have been involved,” muttered Lando.

“Sorry, I simply got bored in there. Besides, your quarters are much more comfortable.”

Lando let out a slight sigh. “You’re right but was that the only reason you did it?”

Luke shook his head. “I was curious what would happen. I’ve killed people but never mutilated them. Not really. My sister is better at that.”

“Boy do I know,” Lando muttered and they both lapsed into silence as he began to finish up. After a while, Luke’s presence wasn’t so noticeable and the silence was a simple one that was comfortable enough.

Once Lando was done though and was filing away all notes and reports, Luke slid onto the desk and gave Lando a questioning look.

In response, Lando just snorted and raised an eyebrow. “What?”

“I’m still surprised you haven’t said anything more.”

“About what? Something I’ve missed?”

“Well, you never did mention that kiss…”

“Should I have?” asked Lando with a raised eyebrow.

“Han probably would have,” Luke replied. “He probably would have been freaking out about it for months straight.”

“True, but I’m not Han.”

Letting out a small laugh, Luke smiled and said, “Clearly. But have you thought about it at all?”

“I doubt I’ll give you the answer you’re hoping for,” Lando answered honestly. “You’re the Empress’ kid, my boss’s kid technically. So no, I honestly haven’t thought about it at all.”

“Because you don’t want to or because you can’t?”

“More of can’t kid.”

“But that doesn’t mean you wouldn’t like to,” Luke replied with a devilish grin.

“It’s all about reading between the lines,” said Lando.

“So is there…”

“Right now? No. Maybe wait a year or two when your mom actually trusts me and one misstep won’t end in decapitation.”

Luke laughed. “That could take a while.”

“True, but waiting tends to make the prize sweeter.”

“So you’re a prize huh?”

Lando rolled his eyes. “You know what I meant. Listen, just stick with watching my work for now and we’ll see what happens from there.”

“I think I can handle that,” Luke grinned. “Just make sure you tell me another story tonight.”

“I keep doing that and I may run out of stories,” replied Lando.

“Then just follow Han’s lead,” Luke responded. “Make something up.”

Lando laughed, good and hard and the remainder of Luke’s trip went a lot like that. Simply back and forth, occasional help from Luke usually of the bloody type, and plenty of stories. It was odd but by the end of it, Lando decided that just maybe ‘friend’ wasn’t an awful term to use for his and Luke’s relationship.


End file.
